There are moments in life when our deepest wounds become the very place from which our greatest purpose emerges. For me, the journey that led to the birth of Chosen and Beloved began many years ago, after I found healing from the trauma and abuse I experienced growing up.
Having overcome those painful experiences, I carried within me a strong desire to help others facing similar challenges. Over the years, showing love, compassion, and care to people—regardless of their background, race, or religion—has been at the heart of everything I do.
In particular, I have been privileged to support many women and girls who have experienced abuse, whether at the hands of partners, family members, or others. My support has taken many forms: offering a listening ear, providing emotional encouragement, financial assistance, spiritual guidance, prayer, and practical help wherever possible.
The Beginning of a Vision
In 2003, I felt a strong prompting to formalise this passion by launching a magazine called The Total Woman. My hope was that it would bring a message of hope, healing, and restoration to a wider audience.
At that time, I was already supporting women in various settings—at church, at work, at home, and through community events. I began working with a colleague to develop the magazine, and together we made significant progress. However, circumstances arose that led me to believe it was best to discontinue the project.
Although the vision was set aside, it never truly left me.
A New Chapter
Seventeen years later, during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, the vision resurfaced in a new form. Together with my husband, I launched a blogging platform called Precious One.
What began as a simple blog soon developed into something much larger. As we started providing counselling, befriending services, debt advice, and social activities for older members of the community, the organisation was registered as a charity. Through that work, Broxbourne Community Church was launched in 2023.
Yet even as these projects grew, I knew there was still another calling waiting to be fulfilled.
The Journey to the Name
Over the years, the original concept evolved. The name changed from The Total Woman to I Am His Handmaiden.
Both names reflected a central message: that our identity is not defined by trauma, abuse, or painful life experiences. Through God’s healing and restoration, we can rediscover our true worth and purpose.
However, in January 2026, after discussing the vision with a trusted consultant friend, I was advised that the name I Am His Handmaiden might not resonate with many people, particularly survivors of abuse, given that many perpetrators are men.
Once again, I returned to prayer and reflection.
As I considered the grace, healing, and unconditional love I had experienced through my relationship with Jesus Christ, two words came to my heart: Chosen and Beloved.
Those two words perfectly captured the message I wanted to share with the world.
Why “Chosen”?
The word Chosen speaks to a powerful truth: no human life is an accident.
Regardless of our background, upbringing, circumstances, or the conditions surrounding our birth, every life has purpose and value.
Many people grow up believing they were unwanted, a mistake, or somehow less significant than others. Yet Scripture paints to a very different picture. Psalm 139 reminds us that God formed us intentionally and knew us before we were born.
I firmly believe that every person who has ever lived, is living, or will live was created with purpose. God determined the time, place, family, and culture into which we would be born. None of these things happened by chance.
Each of us has been placed on earth for a reason. We all possess unique gifts and opportunities to make a meaningful contribution to the world around us.
Being chosen means recognising that our value is not determined by what others have said about us, by what has happened to us, or even by how we sometimes see ourselves. Instead, our worth is found in how God sees us.
When we begin to view ourselves through His eyes, we discover a new sense of dignity, purpose, and hope.
Why “Beloved”?
The word Beloved reflects another life-changing truth: we are deeply loved by God.
Before becoming a Christian, I struggled with feelings of rejection and neglect. Growing up, I often felt unloved and invisible. My mother, who carried her own unresolved trauma, was fighting battles of her own and simply did not have the emotional capacity to express love in ways I needed.
As a result, I never really learned what healthy love looked like.
Those wounds followed me into adulthood and even into my marriage. Although my husband genuinely loved me, I found it difficult to receive that love. My heart had become guarded as a form of self-protection against disappointment and further hurt.
Everything began to change when I became a Christian.
As I started reading the Gospel of John, I encountered a God unlike anyone I had ever known. I discovered a God who loved deeply, gave sacrificially, and desired a personal relationship with me.
John 3:16 revealed to me that God’s love was not distant or abstract—it was personal.
Then I came across a passage that transformed my life completely:
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name…” (John 1:12-13)
I read those words repeatedly until their meaning settled deep within my heart.
For the first time, I understood that although I may not have experienced perfect love growing up, God had always been there. Through Christ, I had been welcomed into His family and could call the Almighty God my Father.
That revelation changed everything.
I no longer saw myself as unwanted or insignificant. I began to see myself as a child of God.
Hope replaced despair. Confidence replaced fear. Faith replaced insecurity.
I discovered that God’s love does more than comfort us—it transforms us.
As I continued to grow in my faith, I came to understand that believers are not only adopted into God’s family but are also heirs with Christ (Romans 8:15-17). This means we share in His promises, His inheritance, and His eternal hope.
The Birth of Chosen and Beloved
In December 2025, shortly before Christmas, I sensed a growing conviction that it was finally time to establish an organisation specifically dedicated to supporting women and girls who have experienced abuse.
For some time, I kept this prompting in my heart and prayed about it quietly. Then, on Christmas Day, I sat down with my husband and shared everything I felt God had been placing on my heart.
To my delight, we both knew instinctively that the time had come.
This work would not be undertaken alone. It would involve a team of women, some of whom have walked similar journeys and bring their own experiences, wisdom, and compassion to the mission.
Our Mission
Chosen and Beloved exists to be part of the ongoing conversation surrounding abuse against women and girls, both in the United Kingdom and across the world.
Our aim is to:
- Raise awareness about abuse and its lasting impact.
- Provide support, encouragement, and practical assistance.
- Educate communities and challenge harmful attitudes.
- Give voice to those who often go unheard.
- Promote healing, restoration, and hope.
While Chosen and Beloved begins here in the UK, our vision extends beyond national borders. We hope to reach and support women from all walks of life, including those in marginalised and underserved communities around the world.
Looking Ahead
I am excited about what lies ahead and the lives that will be touched through this work.
My prayer is that Chosen and Beloved becomes a source of hope for those who feel forgotten, a place of healing for those carrying deep wounds, and a platform that empowers women and girls to rediscover their worth and purpose.
If you would like to be part of this journey, support our mission, or learn more about how you can help, we would love to hear from you. Please get in touch through our online contact form, and a member of our team will respond as soon as possible.
Together, we can help more women and girls discover that they are truly chosen and deeply beloved.
Blessings,
Toun Balogun